Page 83 of Big Island Sunrise
The wind picked up, blowing fiercely and sending mothers running after candy wrappers and forgotten pieces of plastic. The sky, bright blue most of the day, quickly grew dark with clouds.
“Storm’s a comin,” Kekoa said lightly, grinning up at the storm clouds.
People headed home after that, looking at their phones and exchanging murmurs of a weather warning. Not quite a hurricane – it was the wrong time of year for that – but close.
‘Olena stayed to help with cleanup while the girls played with Lani’s new marble run and gave each other princess tattoos.
So did Tenn.
He caught Lani alone in the kitchen, and suddenly the day’s act of keeping a few yards between them and her eyes on the children wasn’t cutting it anymore.
She felt a storm of anger gathering in her chest, directed everywhere but him. She was angry at Zeke for putting her under this stress, angry with herself for not handling it better, angry with the universe in general for presenting her with this wonderful man at the wrong time. It was such a nonsensical storm of feeling that she didn’t know what to say to him.
“I wanted to apologize,” he told her.
Her chin popped up; his words surprised her into looking him directly in the eyes. Dark brown, almond shaped, deeply kind. There was no anger there, not even resentment or disappointment. She saw nothing but concern.
And something deeper, something that she didn’t dare put a name to.
Not now, not with this chaos brewing in her life.
“I didn’t mean to push or pressure you,” he said softly. “But I think I did, and I’m sorry if I caused you any stress. You just got home, you’re still trying to get your feet under you, you’re dealing with more than I know. And I overwhelmed you. It was too much too fast.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” she told him. “I’msorry.”
“Don’t be.” He took a step forward, and she took an involuntary step back.
It was a dance that she didn’t want to be doing, the wrong kind of magnetism. And it didn’t make sense, because all that she truly wanted was to move towards this man. He was so good.
Shewas the one with the baggage.Shewas wrong forhim.
“I’m sorry that I’m not available right now,” she clarified. “I can’t be. I just got out of a horrific relationship, I’m at the start of a messy divorce, I haven’t even started to grapple with what I’m going to do for work or what my future looks like. I’m a mess, Tenn.”
“That’s okay,” he said. She saw him wanting to move forward, but he stayed where he was and put his hands in his pockets. “I don’t need anything from you. Just let me be there for you. As a friend.”
She was saved from replying by ‘Olena, who walked into the kitchen carrying a stack of dirty plastic plates. She looked between Tenn and Lani with narrowed eyes.
Tenn gave them a tight smile and retreated. Lani watched him through the window as he walked outside and picked up the last of the unicorn carnage that blew across the lawn.
“What was that about? ‘Olena asked.
Lani shrugged and turned away. She didn’t have the words.
‘Olena dumped the plates into the sink with a clatter. “Girl, you’re still married.”
“I know that,” she snapped. She took a deep breath and grabbed a sponge. “There’s nothing… He wants to be my friend.”
“Don’t try to play tricks on yourself. That man wants more than friendship from you.”
Lani scrubbed the dishes aggressively. “You don’t think that men and women can be friends?”
‘Olena thought about that for a minute. “Men and women can be family. Kekoa has your back. Even Tenn and me, we’re a kind of family. He’s like a cousin, you know? I’ve been there for Livie since she was a baby, and my girls call him Uncle.”
“Your girls call everyone Uncle,” she muttered, scrapping at a bit of stuck-on cheese. That was island culture, saying Uncle and Auntie the way people in other places said Sir or Ma’am.
“Men and women,” ‘Olena continued, ignoring her last comment, “we can be friends in a crowd. It’s how we make community for our kids. But you don’t see him taking me surfing or making me sushi. What he wants from you isn’t friendship. And if you both try to play that it is, someone’s going to get hurt.Bothof you are going to get hurt.”
Lani turned her face away and squeezed her eyes shut. If she had been alone at that moment, she would’ve sunk to her knees and sobbed.
